Rheumatic heart disease is damage to the valves in the heart caused by rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is an immune disease that can develop following a Streptococcus bacterial infection. The Streptococcus bacteria are responsible for illnesses such as strep throat and scarlet fever. In order to treat rheumatic heart disease and prevent further damage to the heart, the underlying bacterial infection must be treated.
Antibiotics
When treating rheumatic fever to prevent rheumatic heart disease, the initial goal is to administer medications to fight the bacterial infection. Antibiotics such as penicillin are the first medications given. The antibiotics should be started as soon as the infection is detected to prevent the onset of rheumatic fever and reduce the risk of damage to the heart.
For those whose infection triggered the onset of rheumatic fever, they may be advised to continue taking antibiotics to prevent a recurrence of the disease. A recurrence of rheumatic fever has an even higher risk of causing rheumatic heart disease, according to the University of California at San Francisco Children's Hospital.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications
Rheumatic fever causes inflammation in the body that can affect the joints, skin, blood vessels, heart and brain. Approximately half of all cases of rheumatic fever, according to the Texas Heart Institute, lead to inflammation and scarring of the valves in the heart. There are two valves in the heart, one that connects the right aorta to the right ventricle and one that connects the left aorta to the left ventricle. As the heart contracts, the blood moves through the valves in the heart. The scar tissue causes the valves to narrow, inhibiting their ability to open and close properly. This causes the heart to have to work harder to pump the blood, which, over time, can lead to congestive heart failure.
To help reduce the inflammation caused by the rheumatic fever, anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin can be given. This helps to reduce the swelling in the joints as well as reduce the inflammation in the heart, therefore reducing the buildup of scar tissue.
Steroids
In cases where the inflammation is severe and not responsive to the anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroids such as cortisone may be prescribed. Corticosteroids are a synthesized form of a hormone, cortisol, that is naturally produced in the adrenal gland. The corticosteroids block prostaglandins, which are the chemicals that trigger the inflammatory response. This reduces the inflammation, which prevents damage to the heart valves.
